Matrix-plate.



CLARKE,

MATRIX PLATE.

Fig-v].

Fig-.15:

APYLIOATION TILED NOV. 27, 1903.

Patented July 26, 1910.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

llllllllll' llllllll IIIIHEINIII lllll UNITED STATES PATENT .orricn.

GEORGE W. fl'aAm, OF SAN IRANGIBOO, CALI ORNIA, ASSIGNOI OF ONE-FOURTH 1'0 TARLETON B. EASTMAN AND ONE-FOURTH -'.lO FBANGIE M. WEIGHT, OF SAN IRAN 01500, CALIFORNIA.

- MATRIX-PLATE.

965,155. Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I,- Gnonor W. CLARKE,

a. citizen of the United States, residing at is an ed e view of one San Francisco, in. the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Matrix-Plates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved matrix plate for forming printing type.

In the accompanyin drawings, Figure 1 gorm of matrix plate;

Fig. 2 1s a view of the left side thereof;

plate.

Fig, 3 is a view of the right side thereof; Figs. 4:, 5, 6 arecorresponding views of a second form' of matrix plate used in my apparatus; Figs. 7', 8, 9 are corresponding views of a third matrix plate; Figs. 10, 11, 12 of a fourth matrix plate; Fig. 13 is a view of the left side of a fifth matrix plate; Fig. 14 is a section on the line AA of Fig. 13; Figs. 15, 16, '17 are views corre-' sponding to F i s. 1, 2, and 3 of a sixth matrix plate; 18, 19, 20 of a seventh;i

Figs. 21, 22, 23 of an eighth; Figs. 24', 25 are views corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 of a ninth matrix plate; Fig. 26 is a perspective "view of a series oi such matrix plates set up to cast a line of type ofasingle word.

Referring to the drawings, 1, 2,3, 4t, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 represent matrixplates of any/suit aisle metal, as brass, square in shape but matrix plate 2, which is thinner than the other two matrix plates for the other sixteen letters. The eight narrow letters so selected are i, f, j, l, r, s, t, z. Of the remaining letters a, b, c, d, e, g, h, k, are formed on one matrix plate 1, and o, n, q, u, v, x, y, on another 3, both plates of substantially the same thickness. The remainin two letters of the alphabet, m and w, are out extra width, and require a matrix plate 8 of extra thickness.

The matrix plates are distinguished by Patented July 2%, 1910.

Application filed November- 27, 1903. Serial No. 382,986.

their color. In the resent instance the late 1 is shown as co ored red, 2 white, 3

Inc, and 8 yellow. The eight letters formed by each matrix plate are indicated on the sides of the plate, as shown at 11, each index having the same location on the plate relative to its matrix therein. Thus, the-index or letter marked in the upper left hand corner corresponds with the left hand matrix in the upper edge.

In asse'mblingthe matrices for castin a line of type, the matrix plates are turne so as to bring the required sequence of letters all to the farther up er corner facing the left; their matrices will then be in the top edges on the far side of the center, and this is the position in which the matrices are used for casting. The operator quickly becomes familiar with the relative positions of the letters and matrices on each matrix plate, so that on taking up the plate he can v 111 the same movement turn it to bring the required letter to the farther upper corner facin the left, bringin the corresponding matrix to the proper p ace. However, the memorizin of the arran ement of the letters is faci itated by the ocation of certain key letters; thus on plate 1 the vowels aand e are placed in what may be termed the opposite positions, that is, so that a half turn. of the plate about a horizontal axis changes it from the casting position of the one vowel to that of the other. In like manner the vowels o and n are arranged in the o posite position on plate 3. on plate 2, t e letter r and the vowel i have the opposite positions. On all three plates the other letters follow the above key letters in alphabetical orderas nearly as possible. As to the ca ital letters, the matrices of the capitals and W are formed in the same matrix late.

8, as the-small letters in and w. 0 the other twenty-four letters, all but the capital letter I have the matrices formed in three they are arranged .tions on a matrix plate 9 color 10 Eight of the numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,

have their matrices formed in a single matrix plate colored yellow. To assist the memory in pairs 1, 8, 2, 7, and so on, so thatthe sum of each pair equals 9, and the members of each pair are placed in opposite positions on the plate. The figures 0 and 9 have their matrices in op osite posied green together with theca ital I, quotation and other marks. Also on iiliis plate as well as on the plate 8 is left a blank for spacing letters. The matrix plate '5 for the principal oints used in printin as the comma, perio and soon, is colore green. K v

The matrix plates 6, 7, 8, 9 for the capitals are distinguished from those for the small letters, first, by the eye by the different sizes of the indices or letters and also by means of central circles 12, and, secondly, by the touch, by the difference in thicknesses and also by notches 13 in the center of the edges.

In addition tothe above, extra matrices may be provided for reference marks, accented letters, diphthongs, fractions, and points of the same thickness as figures for use in tabular work where alinement is required equally in both directions. These extra matrices may be colored black with index letters filled in with white, and with Roman numerals I, II, III, IV, etc. to distinguish them readily from each other and from the matrices more generally used.

has

Also blanks, the size of matrix plates, may be used for pacing between the letters of words, .or for filling out blanks in lines, which blanks may be labeled, according to 1 thickness, as 1 point, 2 point, etc.

' An index in the center of the side of the plate indicates the face of type the matrix will produce, and is a safeguard to the opinst the use of wrong sorts, and

' responding to the alinement of the letters are at a uniform distance from the center which forms the top of the letter is nearer in the removal of extra matricesessary, for this urpose, that the bottom of I the matrix shou d be at a sufiicient distance from the corner to accommodate the largest size of letters used in ordinary printing. Naturally, for display printing, special sizes of matrices will be provided.

In operating thls system, the matrix plates are not distributed like type, but are spread out indiscriminately on an operating table. This table should preferably be arranged so that the matrix plates I, 2, 3, by which nearly all the work is done, are kept separate from the other matrix plates which are rarely used. The operator selects the propermatrix plate for each letter'b the color, and places them in his left' han one behind the other, for the proper sequence of letters to form a word. When the matrices of the words of a line have been thus arranged, and their matrix plates suitably spaced, a line is cast therefrom. The spacing mechanism and that for castingthe ine, however, form no part of my present invention.

I claim.:--- I v A square matrix plate having two matrices formed in each edge, all e1 ht matrices adapted to cast letter types di erent but of substantially the same width, all the eight matrices being at the same distance from a corner of the matrix plate, and the plate having formed on each side, in the corners thereof, the four letters which correspond to four matrices, onein each edge of said plate, the location of eachv letter so formed relative to that of its corresponding matrix being uniform for all of said eight letters and matrices, substantially as described.

In. witness whereof I have'hereunto set FRANCIS M. WRIGHT, Bnssm Gonrmxnn. 

